


Cruel Summer

by writing_everyday



Series: Lover [2]
Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:22:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25694980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writing_everyday/pseuds/writing_everyday
Summary: AU: The boys have a summer fling
Relationships: Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel, Rachel Berry & Kurt Hummel & Santana Lopez
Series: Lover [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1860202
Kudos: 26





	Cruel Summer

It was the end of May, which meant Kurt Hummel was home for the summer. This last semester had been difficult so he was thankful to have finished all his finals. Dance classes were stricter and his vocal instructor managed to expand Kurt’s range in just a few months. He was now a sophomore at the New York Academy of the Dramatic Arts. It was less intimidating walking into classrooms and studio spaces than last year but Kurt Hummel still felt like something in his life was missing. 

Of course, he had great friends in New York. Rachel and Santana were the world’s most entertaining roommates. They were both walking clouds of drama so there were very few dull days in their shared apartment. Elliott and Kurt always managed lunch or dinner once a week. Both having to work around classes, work, and performance schedules. Kurt had even gone out on a few dates with guys but nothing seemed to stick longer than two dates. 

He was glad to be home for the summer. Working a few days a week in the garage with his dad and Finn, spending some time cooking and baking with Carole, and meeting up with McKinley alums on the weekends. Still, Kurt wanted something more. 

It was Sunday. Originally, Kurt had plans with Rachel but yesterday her dads had sprung a trip to see her grandparents in Pittsburgh on her. Rachel was more apologetic than normal but Kurt suspected that had to do with the fact that she rather be at the Lima Mall with him than in Pittsburg stuck with grandparents who believed showbusiness was no place to have a career. Though Kurt was a little bummed to not have a shopping buddy he knew Rachel would come back from Pittsburg with less “I’m a star” energy. It was nice to see her more toned down on occasion. 

Thank god, Rachel had bailed on him because it was that Sunday in May when Kurt met Blaine Anderson. 

_Fever dream high  
In the quiet of the night  
You know that I caught it_

Not that Kurt needed an excuse to go shopping but he had a mission today. Carole’s niece was having a baby shower next month. With her busy schedule and Kurt’s eye for fashion, she asked him to get some baby clothes. Carole had decided to give her a summer baby basket because her niece was due in late July. Kurt’s mission: a sun hat and at least one adorable summer outfit. 

After browsing and buying from some other stores for a personal purpose–Kurt needed that Saks Off 5th blue rose print button up–Kurt found himself standing in the GAP wandering around the baby and toddler section. 

He spent a fair amount of time cooing at a toddler in a stroller while his mother debated between green and blue plaid shorts or dark orange ones. The toddler had a nice spread of cereal on the stroller tray and was all too happy to continuously offer Kurt a Cheerio, which he politely declined each time. Truly, he wasn’t hungry and he didn’t know how clean those chubby fingers were at the moment. This did not discourage the boy from smiling and laughing while Kurt made faces at him from behind the display. 

“You’re good with him,” the mother says. “Matthew usually isn’t a fan of strangers.”

Kurt just smiles and shrugs. “Babies seem to like me.”

She still hadn’t made a decision about the shorts so Kurt offers her a second opinion. 

“Personally, I like the orange,” he told her, “especially if you’re planning to pair it with something like this.” 

He holds up a light gray tank top with a small breast pocket that had a tiny orange cartoon triceratops peeking out from it. 

“Oh that’s so cute!” she exclaims. 

Kurt passes her the shirt. 

“Have a good day,” he says. “It was lovely meeting you, Matthew.” He waves to the little boy, who beams back at Kurt like they’ve been best friends for years. 

“Thank you,” the mother says, “you too.”

She walks the stroller over to the cashier and buys the orange shorts and dinosaur shirt on Kurt’s recommendation. 

_And it's new  
The shape of your body, it's blue  
The feeling I've got  
And it's ooh, whoa oh  
It's a cruel summer_

Kurt browses the clothes for a while before pulling out a light blue onesie with tiny yellow dots and matching yellow shorts. He also finds a white sun hat with pink flamingos on it. Flamingos are definitely gender-neutral, Kurt thinks. All animals are fair game for babies and for fashion, he supposes.

He drops his chosen items on his way to the register when someone literally knocks him to the ground. 

“Shit, I am so sorry.” 

One moment Kurt is on the ground, gathering up baby clothes, and the next a hand is pulling him to his feet and apologizing. Kurt’s not used to people bumping into him and saying sorry afterward, especially not in Ohio. He remembers locker shoving all too well. 

“Are you okay?” 

It’s then that Kurt looks at the person who knocked him down. 

“Um,” Kurt says, eloquently, “yeah, I’m fine.” 

He brushes off his pants, mostly as an excuse to break eye contact with the man. This kind of thing just doesn’t happen to Kurt. Cute boys don’t bump into him. And they certainly don’t start a conversation with him like this one seems to be doing. 

“I’m Blaine,” he says. “Blaine Anderson.” 

“Kurt Hummel,” Kurt replies. 

“I really am sorry.” 

“It's fine, honestly. No harm done.” 

Blaine grins. 

Kurt collects himself and the clothes and slips pass Blaine to pay for his items. It isn’t until Blaine joins him in line that Kurt notices Blaine has clothing in his hands as well. He doesn’t think much of the purple sweatshirt until it joins the baby clothes on the register. Kurt stares at him. 

“I’m paying,” Blaine tells him, already handing a credit card to the cashier. “It’s the least I could do.” 

“You really don’t need to do that,” Kurt insists. 

It’s too late though, Blaine already paid. The cashier nicely separates their purchases and hands each boy a bag. They walk out of the store together. Kurt profusely thanking Blaine and Blaine repeatedly claiming it was no big deal. 

But it turns out, it was a big deal because somehow that first meeting led to another one just a week later. This time not at the mall but in Lima’s only gay bar, Scandals. 

_It's cool  
That's what I tell 'em, no rules  
In breakable Heaven but  
Ooh, whoa oh  
It's a cruel summer  
With you_

Kurt had never been to Scandals during high school but he hadn’t been close enough friends with Santana to get a fake ID either. He stared at the ID for a second before putting in back in his wallet. 

Good thing the bouncer didn’t ask Kurt whereabouts in Delaware he lived because Kurt wasn’t sure he could name a town in the state if he was being waterboarded by Coach Sue. The bouncer didn’t even hold his ID up to the light. Whoever Santana had make the fakes was extremely good at their job. 

He went directly to the bar and ordered himself a Long Island Iced Tea. It’s rare he ventured out to the bars by himself. Even in New York, Kurt busied himself with schoolwork or Vogue.com assignments and usually was dragged out of the apartment by the girls. Then, he met Elliott, who really opened him up the bar scene. 

Kurt snapped a photo of the bar and his drink to send to his friend. Elliott was spending his break in New York and was probably at a bar or club himself tonight. It was Friday after all. Surprisingly, Elliott texts him right back some stellar advice. 

**Elliot: Drink up and get laid**

**Kurt: I’m sure my dad would love to see some hungover stranger in my bed tomorrow morning**

**Elliot: Go to HIS place.**

Kurt just shakes his head and takes a sip of his drink. 

“Every time I come to Lima, I see you,” a voice from Kurt’s right says. 

He turns on his barstool and finds Blaine standing there. 

“Hello again,” Kurt replies. 

What are the odds the cute stranger from the mall is actually Kurt’s type and gay? Kurt was willing to bet no straight men in Lima came to Scandals. 

“Kurt, right?” 

He nods. Blaine takes the seat beside Kurt and orders a drink. 

“So you’re not from Lima then?” 

“No,” Blaine answers. “I grew up in Westerville.” 

“That’s where Dalton Academy is, right?” 

“Yes, it is.” Blaine laughs, a little nervous. “I went here actually.” 

“I almost did.” Kurt shrugs. 

“Why didn’t you?” 

“The bullying actually stopped. It tends to happen when the main offender is outed and transfers.” 

Blaine hums like he understands what Kurt means. “I got bullied pretty bad too my freshman year so I transferred to Dalton.” 

There's a long pause like each boy is being thrown into their own personal spiral of unwanted memories. 

“Are you meeting someone?’ Kurt asks. 

Mostly to change the subject to something less depressing but also out of curiosity. 

There’s no way Blaine is attractive, gay, and single. 

“Just needed to get out of my parents’ house. Is there such a thing as a too-supportive mom?” 

Kurt chuckles. “Probably. Sometimes I think my dad’s support is a little overbearing but it all comes from a place of caring.” 

“I guess,” Blaine says, “but my mom basically dropped me off here like she expects her future son-in-law to be here tonight.” 

“She dropped you off at a seedy gay bar?” 

“On her way to bridge night with her friends no less.”

The bartender delivers Blaine’s rum and coke. 

“To overly supportive parenting,” Kurt suggests, holding up his own drink. 

Blaine smiles and clinks his glass against Kurt’s. 

_Killing me slow, out the window  
I'm always waiting for you to be waiting below  
Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes  
What doesn't kill me makes me want you more_

That was two weeks ago. They left the bar together and Blaine had introduced Kurt to the benefits of having an empty house. Kurt knew almost nothing about this phenomenon. The loft was rarely unoccupied by at least one of his roommates because their time off often overlapped, which was nice in terms of movie nights and cooking dinner together but not so convenient for bringing dates home. The Hummel Household had so many current residents Kurt was shocked when the house only had one other person in it. During high school, Sam Evans had even taken up a bedroom to finish out his education at McKinley. Noah Puckerson crashed on their couch most weekends when they were all at McKinley and that hadn’t seemed to change once they all started college. 

Blaine had led him straight upstairs and their supposed one-night together had turned into a five-nights together over the course of two weeks. Six if you counted today and Kurt was certainly counting it. 

So, the empty driveway wasn’t new. He parked on the street behind Blaine’s car. Only his parents used the driveway, Blaine once told him. 

A normal visitor would’ve gone to the front door to knock but Kurt snuck his way around to the backyard through a waist-high garden gate. It was a simple black metal gate meant to maintain the Anderson image of an ordinary American family rather than act as protection for their property. 

Kurt carefully shut the gate, trying his hardest to be quiet but ultimately failing by stepping on several sticks as he made his way to the back porch. 

“You should avoid twigs if you’re trying to scare me,” Blaine says. 

He turns on the string of fairy lights hanging around the porch revealing his teasing smile aimed at Kurt. 

“I wasn’t sneaking around. I’ll have you know I was invited here tonight,” Kurt replies.

He sort of was sneaking around but it hadn’t been in an attempt to startle Blaine. If Kurt was being honest with himself, he liked the idea of forbidden lovers. This was probably as close as he got to it in his life. Two Ohio homosexual boys engaging in no-strings-attached sex a few times a week over the course of a summer? Scandalous behavior. At least, for Kurt, it was scandalous. 

Sex had always been a part of relationships. Romantic ones. It was a step they took together to be closer to one another. With Blaine, though Kurt enjoyed his company immensely, it was about release not love. 

His dad’s voice rang in his head, “you matter, Kurt.”

And he knew that but Kurt wasn’t throwing himself around by having this fling with Blaine. He was only with one person, who he cared about just not in a romantic sense. Sex didn’t always have to be about romance, did it? 

Kurt knew he couldn’t hide Blaine from his family, his dad especially, forever. Burt was already starting to suspect something. He almost didn’t let Kurt leave the house tonight. Asking a series of questions that would only lead to a second sex talk or a discussion on when Burt was meeting this boy. 

“Invited?” Blaine questions. “By who?”

“You wouldn’t know him,” Kurt tells him. “Cute and compact. Hazel eyes that can read your thoughts. Black curls,” Kurt twirls one of said curls as he says this, “that hold all his secrets.” 

“Is that so?”

“That’s not even the best part.” 

Kurt is pressing his entire body against Blaine’s now. Backing him against the railing. 

“He’s the perfect bed partner. God, he does this thing when….” 

Blaine effectively cuts him off by kissing him. Once Blaine is sure he won't speak again, he breaks the kiss and trails his tongue down the length of Kurt’s neck before sucking on his collarbone. 

It was that night when Kurt Hummel realized he couldn’t have sex without romance. This time, he thought as he watched Blaine’s naked chest rise and fall, it was one-sided. He was falling in love with a boy who only saw him when he wanted sex. 

_I'm drunk in the back of the car  
And I cried like a baby coming home from the bar (oh)  
Said, "I'm fine", but it wasn't true  
I don't wanna keep secrets just to keep you_

Like the mature adult he was, Kurt lied to Blaine. As far as Blaine was aware the Hummels were on vacation this week. In reality, Kurt was spending his days in his bedroom trying to resist the urge to cry to his ‘I-Just-Wanna-Sob-for-24-hours-straight’ playlist. Finn tried to get him to come out with the guys for a bowling night but Kurt refused to uncover his head from his comforter. Burt gave his son more hours at the shop but it hurt too much to watch Kurt’s sluggish movements as he changed oil. Carole brought out the toughest recipes to try knowing Kurt couldn’t back down from a challenge but the boy barely winced when the souffle didn’t rise correctly. 

They were all at a loss so Finn called Rachel and Santana. The girls, mostly Santana, pulled Kurt out of bed, put him in his tightest jeans and a mostly see-through shirt, and took him out drinking. Rachel opted to be the designated driver since Santana was better at influencing people to do shots and Kurt needed that tonight. 

On the fourth round of tequila shots, Kurt started talking. He never gave them a name but it was obvious Kurt had gotten himself in too deep and didn’t know how to fix the relationship. 

Santana told him he either had to lose himself in the sex again and stop being such “a whiny bitch” or “dump his ass and get yourself a boyfriend.” Rachel was more gentle in her approach though the advice was essentially the same. 

It was around 2 am when Rachel escorted her two drunk friends into the car. Santana insisted she ride shotgun so Kurt was laying across the backseat. 

“Don’t you dare throw up in this car,” Rachel warns. 

Santana only giggles in response. 

“Want to see him,” Kurt murmurs. 

“Who?” Rachel asks. 

“His boytoy, duh,” Santana tells her. “Directions!”

“Westerville,” Kurt says, sitting up now. 

“Buckle up,” Rachel instructs. 

“Want to see him,” Kurt repeats. 

“Seatbelt first,” Rachel says. 

Kurt buckles up. “Make a right,” he tells her. 

Westerville it is. 

Halfway there, Kurt started to sob. 

“What’s wrong, Kurt?” Rachel asks. 

“Music’s sad.” 

“What music?” Santana asks.

She plays with the volume but the radio is off. 

“Turn it off,” Kurt says. “Make it stop.” 

He plugs up his ears with his hands and sighs happily like the music stopped. 

“Hummel,” Santana yells, turning in her seat to face Kurt. “Are you good?”

“Fine,” he answers.

He lowers his hands slowly worried the sad music will return. It doesn’t. 

“He’s not fine,” Santana stage-whispers to Rachel. 

“I know,” she replies. 

Kurt doesn’t appear to hear them, however, because he doesn’t contradict his friends. 

“Is this a good idea?” Rachel asks. 

“Want to see him,” Kurt reminds her. 

“Okay, so we’re definitely doing this,” Rachel says. 

She has a bad feeling about it but at least Kurt will have made a move. If this ends in disaster, he can’t get more attached to this boy and if it doesn’t maybe he’ll get a boyfriend out of this mess. Either way, Rachel vows to be there for her friend. For ice cream and tears or coffee and meeting the boyfriend. 

Kurt is coherent enough to get them to Blaine’s house. Empty driveway, as usual, but Kurt’s drunk enough not to question where the Anderson’s might be at 3:30 in the morning.

Rachel and Santana get out of the car with Kurt but he tells them he needs to do this on his own. He goes to the backyard through the garden gate. The house is dark. Kurt stands below Blaine’s bedroom window and takes out his phone to call him. There aren’t any pebbles lying around to throw at the window after all. 

_And I, snuck in through the garden gate  
Every night that summer just to seal my fate (oh)  
And I screamed, "For whatever it's worth"  
"I love you, ain't that the worst thing you ever heard?"_

Blaine lets the first call go to voicemail and rolls over pulling the sheets up to his neck. Then, his phone rings again so he turns over, flicks on his bedside lamp, and answers. 

“Hello?” 

“Blaine.”

“Kurt?” he asks, sitting up. 

“Cmmm, outside?” 

“Are you okay?” 

“Little drunk,” Kurt admits. 

“Do you need me to come get you?” 

Blaine removes the sheets and slides on his slippers. He’s thankful the house is empty so he doesn’t have to worry about waking his parents. 

“Noooo,” Kurt says. “I’m outside.”

“What?” 

Blaine goes over to his bedroom window but of course can’t see anything because none of the outside lights are on. 

“I’ll be right out.” He hangs up the phone. 

So, he grabs a tee shirt to slip on before heading downstairs. He flicks on the porch lights and finds Kurt staying in the backyard with his phone still against his ear. Seeing Blaine must trigger something for Kurt because he pockets his phone. 

“Hi,” he says. 

Blaine rubs his eyes. Partly because he’s still not awake and partly because he can’t believe Kurt is standing in his backyard drunk. 

“I thought you were on vacation.” 

“Lied.” Kurt shrugs. 

“What are you doing here? How did you get here? You didn’t drive, did you?” 

“No driving.” Kurt shakes his head. “Santana and Rachel are here.” 

“They are?” Blaine questions.

“Out front.”

“Why don’t you come sit down and tell me why Santana and Rachel drove you here at…” He checks his phone. “3:45 am.” 

“Rachel drove,” is Kurt’s answer but he lets Blaine guide him to a chair on the porch. 

“I’m going to get you some water. Be right back, just stay there.” 

Blaine goes back into the house and fills up two glasses with tap water.

He hands Kurt a glass, which he instantly drinks half of, before speaking, “I guess we should start with why you’re here.”

Kurt sits back and rests his head against the back of the chair. He starts to hum a little and smiles to himself. If it wasn’t close to 4 in the morning, Blaine would’ve been content to watch Kurt be his adorable self and maybe could’ve started humming along as well. But Blaine was confused, tired, and still not sure why Kurt was here. 

“Kurt,” Blaine says, “Why did you come here?” 

“Needed to see you.” Kurt takes another sip of water. 

“Well, you’ve seen me. Was there something else or should I escort you back to Santana and Rachel now?” 

Kurt sets his glass of water on the ground. 

“I just don’t think I can do this anymore.”

“Do what?” Blaine asks. 

Though, he’s fairly confident about what Kurt is referring to. 

“This,” Kurt says, gesturing between the two of them. “My dad told me that I matter and I do. I know that and it never felt like what we were doing wasn’t special.”

Blaine waits for him to continue. 

“This whole summer, I felt like something was missing then we met and that hole disappeared for a while but it’s back now.”

“What were you missing?” 

“Love,” Kurt tells him. “Sex can’t fill that void. Try as I might, I’m still a silly romantic.” 

“I don’t think it’s silly.” 

Blaine reaches for one of Kurt’s hands but the other boy pulls away. 

“Kurt,” Blaine says, hoping his voice isn’t shaky from rejection. “I don’t want to lose you.”

Kurt looks directly at Blaine. He’s frowning slightly. 

“I love you,” Kurt tells him.

Blaine shivers and tries to respond but Kurt immediately follows it up with, “Isn’t that just the worst thing you’ve ever heard?” which instantly kills the butterflies in Blaine’s stomach. 

“Excuse me?” 

“I promised myself I wouldn’t,” Kurt laughs. “I didn’t wanna tell you. Didn’t want a drunken confession either but here we are.” 

He drinks the rest of his water and stands up.

“I shouldn’t have come. I’m sorry I woke you.” 

Kurt walks back towards the girls. He wonders if Rachel will let him crash at her house. There’s no way he wants to be alone tonight. Kurt wipes away a tear. He refuses to cry until Blaine’s house is far behind him. Tomorrow’s a new day and tomorrow will be easier. 

“Kurt! Wait!” 

He stops. Blaine is jogging to catch him and spins Kurt around so they can face one another. 

“It’s not,” he says. 

Kurt shakes his head, confused. “What?” 

“It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever heard,” Blaine says. “Actually it’s one of the best.” 

“It is?”

“I want to be with you, Kurt. When I said I didn’t want to lose you I meant it. Stay with me tonight, please.” Blaine takes his hand. “Please.” 

Kurt looks in the direction of the girls and back at Blaine. Beautiful Blaine. “You want to be with me?”

“I do,” he promises. “I really do.” 

“Okay, I’ll stay.”

Blaine throws his arms around Kurt. When he pulls back from the hug, Blaine presses a soft kiss against his right cheek. 

When Kurt thought back on this moment years later, he realized that night was when the hole he had in his life filled itself.


End file.
